Caliph al-Muqtadir appointed him as vizier. Then he dismissed him, appointed him again, dismissed him again, appointed him again, dismissed him again, and appointed him once more. Then he killed him in this year. He also killed his son. He possessed a very large fortune. He had 10,000,000 dinars. From his estates, he earned 1,000,000 dinars every year. He gave monthly stipends sufficient for their needs to about 5,000 devout worshippers and scholars.
He was well versed in vizierate and the science of accounting. It is related that he reviewed 1,000 letters and signed 1,000 documents in one day. Those who witnessed this were amazed. He was a person of great generosity and kindness. He treated those working in his retinue well. However, alongside this, he wronged some people and forcibly took their property. Allah also seized him as He seizes the townsfolk who are oppressors by means of a mighty and powerful person.
He was open-handed. He bestowed abundant gifts and gave alms to the needy. One night, hadith scholars, Sufis, and literary men held a discussion in his presence. To each of these groups, he gave 20,000 dinars.
A man once wrote a letter in his name and prepared to take it to the governor of Egypt. The letter commanded the governor of Egypt to show kindness and generosity to the bearer of the letter. However, the letter was found on the man. Since the vizier knew that he had written a forged letter, he asked those present in his assembly how this man, who wrote a letter in his name, should be treated. Some advised cutting off his hand, some his thumb, and others recommended severe beating. The vizier himself said, "Is there no better way than all these suggestions?" Then he took the letter and wrote on it: "Yes, this writing is mine. The bearer of the letter is one of my most trusted friends. Do all the kindnesses you can to him." When the letter reached the governor of Egypt, the governor showed great kindness to the bearer and gave him about 20,000 dinars.
One day, the vizier Ibn Furāt called one of his secretaries before him and said:
"Woe to you. I think very badly of you. I always want to catch you and seize your property, but in a dream, you appear to me with a piece of bread and prevent me from carrying out this act. For several nights, I have seen in my dream that although I want to catch you, you protect yourself by showing me this bread. I order the soldiers to kill you, but I see that at every spear thrust or blow, you use the piece of bread in your hand as a shield against them and are not harmed. Tell me the story of this bread."
The secretary said: "O vizier, since my childhood, my mother used to place a piece of bread under my pillow every night, and in the morning I would give that bread as charity on my behalf to a poor person. This continued until my mother passed away. After she died, I myself began to put a piece of bread under my pillow every night and in the morning I would take it and give it as charity to a poor person." The vizier appreciated and praised this state of his and said: "By Allah, from today onwards, no harm will come to you from me. I have now developed goodwill towards you and have begun to love you."
Ibn Ḥallikān narrated the biography of the vizier ʿAlī b. Muḥammad b. Furāt at length and also transmitted some of the things we have related about him.